Before leaving for Moscow, the engineering and construction activities of the master Aristotle Fioravanti developed, in addition to his native Bologna, in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Naples and other Italian cities. In 1475, having rejected the invitation of the Turkish Sultan, he, together with the Russian ambassador Semyon Tolbuzin, went to Moscow, where he was entrusted with the construction of the main temple of the capital - the Assumption Cathedral (1475-1479). Preparing for work, the Italian architect visited Vladimir and other ancient Russian cities, made a long journey to the North, up to the Solovetsky Islands. Later, the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Vasilievich used his talent as a military engineer. Later, Mark Fryazin, Antonio Solari, and Aleviz Novy worked in Moscow, who built the palace chambers, including the Faceted Palace, the Archangel Cathedral, which has survived to this day, as well as first-class fortifications for their time.
The time of episodic contacts between Russia and Europe ended in the era of Peter the Great's reforms. The cultural revolution, accomplished by the will of Peter the Great, became an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of the civilizational development of the Old World. The great reformer of Russia managed not only to modernize the Russian state and modernize the life of a huge country, but also to radically change the theme and language of Russian art. After Peter I, Russia quickly stood on a par with their main characters in order to become one of the trendsetters of European culture a century and a half later.
"Unfinished Party"
oil on canvas, 60 * 50, 2015
IAMAQ Magazine 3/2020